Chino voters pass measure to allow for building homes

CHINO >> Voters passed a measure in the recent election that will allow for the construction of 94 single family homes.

Measure B, a general plan amendment zone change, was approved by about 69 percent of the voters on Tuesday.

The change will allow nearly 12 acres of vacant land that is designated in the city’s General Plan as commercial and office space to used for residential construction.

Residents adopted the amendment to the General Plan known as “Measure M” on Nov. 8, 1988, which prohibits the City Council from zoning non-residental land for residential uses without voter approval.

“This (Measure M) is a good deal for the city because it reveals the pressure from the county so the developer can’t come to us and pressure us to change the zoning because of dollars,” said Mayor Dennis Yates. “Instead it has to go to the vote of the people and that does a service to the community.”

Stratham Homes wants to construct the homes at the southeast corner of Fern Avenue and Riverside Drive.

Jeff Evans and Michael Sherock of Stratham Homes addressed the City Council in July illustrating the proposed development. They stated by changing the zone from commercial to residential, traffic will be reduced by 80 percent; furthermore, it will provide the necessary rooftops to support the commercial that currently exists, according to the city’s staff reports.

Resident Rob Nigg said he had concerns regarding the development and that it would negatively impact tax revenue, sales tax and jobs in the community.

Yates said even though it’s a sacrifice on commercial sales tax revenue, the burden on the existing housing track would be pretty significant as far as traffic goes.

“If it had been built out on commercial on that west side, the people living to the right of it would have commercial traffic coming out all day in front of their home,” he said.

City officials said a final site map for the project will be sent to the Planning Commission for approval in early 2014.

Once complete, the two-story detached homes will range from about 1,800- to 2,000-square-feet and will include an attached garage on the back of each home, said Nicholas Liguori, deputy director of community development.

Since the developers requested the plan amendment and the zone change, they were also required to pay for the election, Ligouri said.